By Patrick Donachie
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center will entirely renovate its hospice care unit, including the construction of a new center that will provide compassionate and comprehensive end-of-life care for patients.
“As a community-based hospital, we have made a commitment to provide the highest quality hospice care services to all those who need it,” Jamaica Hospital President and CEO Bruce J. Flanz said about the renovations.
The hospital has supplied inpatient hospice care treatment since 2010, but the development of the Ferrara Family Center for Hospice Care will reconfigure the environment for patients and family members. The new development will include family meetings rooms and a lounge that will offer visitors an opportunity to decompress from the situations they are facing.
“Every detail from the lighting to the tranquil artwork will be carefully considered to offer our patients and families a sense of peace,” Dr. Alan Roth, the chairman of Family Medicine and Palliative Care, said about the new design. “As hospice professionals, we understand how important a comfortable environment is during what can be a difficult time.”
Jamaica Hospital is hoping to raise $1 million for the new center with a capital fund-raising program, and the hospital administration said that many supporters had contributed by purchasing memorial plaques and naming opportunities. The hospital recently held a bake sale to raise funds for the project.
The new hospice care center is scheduled to begin construction this fall, according to a statement from the hospital announcing the new unit.
Reach reporter Patrick Donachie by e-mail at pdona
